וַיְהִ֞י בְּנֻסָ֣ם ׀ מִפְּנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֗ל הֵ֞ם בְּמוֹרַ֤ד בֵּית־חוֹרֹן֙ וַֽיהוָ֡ה הִשְׁלִ֣יךְ עֲלֵיהֶם֩ אֲבָנִ֨ים גְּדֹל֧וֹת מִן־הַשָּׁמַ֛יִם עַד־עֲזֵקָ֖ה וַיָּמֻ֑תוּ רַבִּ֗ים אֲשֶׁר־מֵ֙תוּ֙ בְּאַבְנֵ֣י הַבָּרָ֔ד מֵאֲשֶׁ֥ר הָרְג֛וּ בְּנֵ֥י יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל בֶּחָֽרֶב׃ (ס)
Tandis qu’ils fuyaient devant Israël, comme ils se trouvaient sur la pente de Béthorôn, l’Éternel fit tomber sur eux, jusqu’à Azêka, d’énormes grêlons qui les tuèrent; et il en périt un plus grand nombre par ces grêlons que par l’épée des enfants d’Israël.
Tur HaArokh
אשר לא היה כמוהו בארץ מצרים, “the like of which never occurred in the land of Egypt.” The wording suggests that this phenomenon had never been experienced in Egypt, although it had occurred elsewhere. We have a verse in Joshua 10,11 where G’d is described as raining down large stones on the Canaanites. Seeing that rain does not normally fall in Egypt, this would be a frightening experience in that country. Seeing that hail consists of frozen rain particles, that experience was new in Egypt also.
Ramban
In view of the fact that Scripture states, A very grievous hail, such as hath not been in Egypt since the day it was founded, and repeats it again, Very grievous, such as had not been in all the land of Egypt since it became a nation,213Further, Verses 18 and 24. there is an allusion that there are other places in the world where such hail did come down, such as is mentioned in the verse, And the Eternal cast down great stones from heaven upon them,214Joshua 10:11. or as is mentioned in connection with [the destruction of] Sodom, brimstone, and salt, and fire.215Deuteronomy 29:22. But in the land of Egypt, where there is no rain or hail, this was a great wonder.
I have not understood what is said in Midrash Rabbah:216Shemoth Rabbah 12:2. In our Midrash, there is a different version of this text. See also my Hebrew commentary, p. 316. “The verse does not say, ‘as hath not been in Egypt like it,’ but instead it says, ‘as hath not been like it in Egypt,’ which means there has neither been like it in the world nor in Egypt.”217This Midrash is in clear contradiction to that which Ramban stated above, i.e., that such hail has come down in other places. Therefore Ramban preceded the Midrash by saying that he does not understand it. Since Ramban’s opinion is based upon the verses mentioned above, he cannot revoke his opinion as being incorrect. And the expression, since the day it was founded, is equivalent to saying: “Your fathers and your grandfathers have never seen the like of it.” But it is not possible to say that it suggests that the like of it occurred before the world was founded or before the inception of nations. Perhaps because this hail came as a punishment upon the inhabitants of Egypt and was not in the natural order, [the verse] is saying that nothing like it has ever occurred because of the sins of the fathers, for before the inception of Egypt as a nation, surely there was no [reason for] such hail to come.
I have not understood what is said in Midrash Rabbah:216Shemoth Rabbah 12:2. In our Midrash, there is a different version of this text. See also my Hebrew commentary, p. 316. “The verse does not say, ‘as hath not been in Egypt like it,’ but instead it says, ‘as hath not been like it in Egypt,’ which means there has neither been like it in the world nor in Egypt.”217This Midrash is in clear contradiction to that which Ramban stated above, i.e., that such hail has come down in other places. Therefore Ramban preceded the Midrash by saying that he does not understand it. Since Ramban’s opinion is based upon the verses mentioned above, he cannot revoke his opinion as being incorrect. And the expression, since the day it was founded, is equivalent to saying: “Your fathers and your grandfathers have never seen the like of it.” But it is not possible to say that it suggests that the like of it occurred before the world was founded or before the inception of nations. Perhaps because this hail came as a punishment upon the inhabitants of Egypt and was not in the natural order, [the verse] is saying that nothing like it has ever occurred because of the sins of the fathers, for before the inception of Egypt as a nation, surely there was no [reason for] such hail to come.
Ramban
AND THOU SHALT REMEMBER THE ETERNAL THY G-D, FOR IT IS HE WHO GIVETH THEE POWER TO GET WEALTH. It is known that Israelites are mighty men, valiant men for the war94Jeremiah 48:14. because they were likened to lions95See Genesis 49:9. and to a ravenous wolf,96See ibid., Verse 27. and they vanquished the Canaanite kings in battle. Therefore he said, “If you should think, ‘my power and the might of my hand hath gotten me this wealth,’97Verse 17. you should remember G-d Who brought you forth from Egypt where you had no power or might of hand at all. You should further remember that He provided all your needs for you in the wilderness, where you had nought in the power of thy hand98Further, 28:32. to survive. If so [concerning] this wealth which you have won by your strength as well, [you should bear in mind that] it is G-d Who gave you the power [that was necessary for you] to accumulate the wealth; and if you forget G-d He will consume thy flesh and thy body99Proverbs 5:11. and you will perish,100Verse 19. just as [the nations before you] perished,101Verse 20. for all that forsake the Eternal shall be consumed.102Isaiah 1:28.
And then Moses reverted to bring yet another proof that you should not think ‘my power and the might of my hand etc.,’97Verse 17. and he said Hear, O Israel103Further, 9:1. a true word from my mouth, that these nations are greater and mightier than thyself,103Further, 9:1. and how will you vanquish them in battle? Besides, they have cities great and fortified up to the high heavens,103Further, 9:1. and how will you capture them? Moreover, there is a people great and tall, the sons of the Anakim, whom thou knowest104Ibid., Verse 2. from the spies who saw them, and of whom thou hast heard104Ibid., Verse 2. from days of yore that no man can stand up against them. And when all this becomes clear to you, you should realize and believe from this day on that you will be unable to go over [the Jordan to do battle] before them at all until you know in your heart that the Eternal thy G-d is He Who goeth over before thee as a devouring fire, and He will destroy them, and He will bring them down.105Ibid., Verse 3. It is not the power and the might of hand He gave you, but the hand of G-d that did this to the mighty ones among them. This is an allusion to what is stated, and the Eternal cast down great stones from heaven upon them,106Joshua 10:11. and similarly it is said there, And there was no day like that before it or after it, that the Eternal hearkened unto the voice of a man; for the Eternal fought for Israel.107Ibid., Verse 14. The reference to the fortified cities he mentioned here103Further, 9:1. is an allusion to the wall of Jericho that fell before the ark. This is what David said, For not by their own sword did they get the Land in possession, neither did their own arm save them; but Thy right hand, and Thine arm, and the light of Thy countenance, because Thou wast favorable unto them108Psalms 44:4. This psalm is ascribed to the sons of Korach (Verse 1). However, according to the Talmud (Baba Bathra 14b) it is David who wrote the Psalms, including among them the work of the elders, such as the sons of Korach, etc. Hence Ramban correctly writes of this psalm “that David said.” — the right hand of G-d and His [left] arm fought against their mighty ones, and the light of His countenance that was favorable unto them [the Israelites] gave them power over those who were slain in battle. Scripture refers to this in saying further, And I destroyed the Amorite before them, whose height was like the height of the cedars, and he was strong as the oaks; yet I destroyed his fruit from above, and his roots from beneath.109Amos 2:9. He [the prophet Amos] singled out the Amorite because it was the mightiest [nation] among them, and it was G-d Who destroyed it.
And then Moses reverted to bring yet another proof that you should not think ‘my power and the might of my hand etc.,’97Verse 17. and he said Hear, O Israel103Further, 9:1. a true word from my mouth, that these nations are greater and mightier than thyself,103Further, 9:1. and how will you vanquish them in battle? Besides, they have cities great and fortified up to the high heavens,103Further, 9:1. and how will you capture them? Moreover, there is a people great and tall, the sons of the Anakim, whom thou knowest104Ibid., Verse 2. from the spies who saw them, and of whom thou hast heard104Ibid., Verse 2. from days of yore that no man can stand up against them. And when all this becomes clear to you, you should realize and believe from this day on that you will be unable to go over [the Jordan to do battle] before them at all until you know in your heart that the Eternal thy G-d is He Who goeth over before thee as a devouring fire, and He will destroy them, and He will bring them down.105Ibid., Verse 3. It is not the power and the might of hand He gave you, but the hand of G-d that did this to the mighty ones among them. This is an allusion to what is stated, and the Eternal cast down great stones from heaven upon them,106Joshua 10:11. and similarly it is said there, And there was no day like that before it or after it, that the Eternal hearkened unto the voice of a man; for the Eternal fought for Israel.107Ibid., Verse 14. The reference to the fortified cities he mentioned here103Further, 9:1. is an allusion to the wall of Jericho that fell before the ark. This is what David said, For not by their own sword did they get the Land in possession, neither did their own arm save them; but Thy right hand, and Thine arm, and the light of Thy countenance, because Thou wast favorable unto them108Psalms 44:4. This psalm is ascribed to the sons of Korach (Verse 1). However, according to the Talmud (Baba Bathra 14b) it is David who wrote the Psalms, including among them the work of the elders, such as the sons of Korach, etc. Hence Ramban correctly writes of this psalm “that David said.” — the right hand of G-d and His [left] arm fought against their mighty ones, and the light of His countenance that was favorable unto them [the Israelites] gave them power over those who were slain in battle. Scripture refers to this in saying further, And I destroyed the Amorite before them, whose height was like the height of the cedars, and he was strong as the oaks; yet I destroyed his fruit from above, and his roots from beneath.109Amos 2:9. He [the prophet Amos] singled out the Amorite because it was the mightiest [nation] among them, and it was G-d Who destroyed it.